The Capital Foreign Language Project will once again offer summer seminars for French, Japanese and Spanish teachers. Seminars are 40 hours of in-depth, rigorous professional development and language immersion. Each seminar will be held at Sacramento State University from June 23 through June 27. Topics vary according to language in order to also provide enhanced cultural knowledge related to the language you teach. Check out the online information system to see offerings. We hope to see you there!

For the first time in Sacramento and possibly anywhere, student work in world languages has its own judging class. Not only does this help student projects be judged and displayed correctly, it also means that for the first time ever, your students will be eligible for best in class ribbons specifically for their work in world languages. One best in class will be awarded for the best written project and one best in class will be awarded for the best oral project. Plan to attend the county fair Memorial Day weekend at Cal Expo to see who won. Invite your students to attend and check out what other students are doing.

Join us at the annual FLAGS Teacher Awards Banquet as we honor Jeanne Kirchofer and Christina Cardiasmenos, both of Laguna Creek H.S. The banquet will take place on April 11 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the University Restaurant (located at the University Union at California State University, Sacramento). For the first time ever, we are pleased to be able to offer you online sign-up and payment. Register now!

The Student Awards Breakfast will be held on Saturday, May 3, 2008. Current FLAGS members may honor one of their students. The teacher, student, and the student’s
parents-four guests in total-are invited to a delicious breakfast and awards ceremony. The
student will receive an award certificate and gift certificate. Please note that the nominating teacher must attend the breakfast in order to nominate a student. Space is limited to 15 students, so act fast to reserve your places! Get your invitation here!

2007 National Language Teacher of the Year and FLAGS Board Member Christine Lanphere was appointed to the Curriculum and Supplementary Materials Commission. Her four-year-term will begin in January 2008. She will be one of several commissioners who review and approve standards, frameworks, and textbook adoptions for all curriculum areas in the state of California. As such she will have direct influence over the quality of education for every one of California's students. Congratulations, Christine!

We are thrilled to welcome Inga Templeton, German Teacher at Mira Loma High School to the FLAGS Board. Inga joined the board as a member-at-large in fall 2007. Her enthusiasm and ideas have been inspiring! Inga received the FLAGS Outstanding New Teacher Award in 2005.

In addition, we have also been honored to welcome Ruth Ward, Spanish Teacher at Natomas High School. Ruth also joined the board in fall 2007. She is a member of the Capital Foreign Language Project and she was named a finalist for the 2007 California League of High Schools Region 3 Educator of they Year award. The Region 3 Educator of the Year will be announced in December.

Natomas High School Spanish Teacher and FLAGS Board Member Ruth Ward is one of 10 finalists for the California League of High Schools Region 3 Educator of the Year award. Ruth will join nine other finalists at a dinner in their honor in December, at which time one of the 10 finalists will be selected to represent region 3 at the state-level competition.

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